Saturday, June 24, 2006
Fascist Creep...
What happened here was the gradual habituation of the people, little by little, to being governed by surprise; to receiving decisions deliberated in secret; to believing that the situation was so complicated that the government had to act on information which the people could not understand, or so dangerous that, even if the people could understand it, it could not be released because of national security. And their sense of identification with Hitler, their trust in him, made it easier to widen this gap and reassured those who would otherwise have worried about it.
Milton Sanford Mayer, They Thought They Were Free: The Germans, 1933-35 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1966).
Cheney Defends Accessing Bank Account Information
Warrantless Wiretapping on Trial
Court Rules Warrantless Wiretapping Legal
American detained indefinitely without trial
Unethical/Illegal Detainment of POW's.
"[Democrats are ] so angry and so irrational that their anger is causing them to shed the camouflage and shed the masks and we're finding out they are mean-spirited, they are discriminatory, they're extremists , and they're wrong."
---excerpt---
"The 'Democrats don't trust individuals to make the right decisions for themselves. They need people to be in a state of need because that's how liberals derive their power . So they look at average Americans with contempt.' On the other hand, 'Conservatives trust average, ordinary Americans.' On "'the liberal side of the isle, those people are targets for punishment.' The ' Democrats' enemies list' is 'Exxon-Mobil, any pharmaceutical company, Wal-Mart. You go right down the list and it's the people who are defining success in this country .' "
-Rush Limbaugh, with Neil Cavuto on Fox News 2/9/2006 , from Newshounds
(This is an example of projection. Limbaugh projects the image of Democrats in the mold of Republicans. In other words, he reverses what is really going on. The GOP acts the way Limbaugh describes Dems, and the Dems act the way Limbaugh describes the Republicans. )
the definitive aspects of fascism as described by serious political scholars: its populism, particularly its claim to represent the "true character" of the respective national identities among which it arises; and its mythic core of national rebirth -- not to mention its corporatist component, its anti-liberalism, its glorification of violence and its contempt for weakness.
In other words, fascism's appeal is its populist appeal. It conceals its real agenda by using rhetoric that is populist in tone. Just the way Limbaugh dishes it up. (Definition by David Neiwart.) Consider how Limbaugh emphasizes how he's just a "regular guy" and a "harmless loveable fuzzball."
---
Newspeak:
diminishing the range of thought by nullifying the meaning of words.
It renders language meaningless by positing a meaning of a word that is in fact its near or precise opposite.
From 1984, by George Orwell:
"You believe that reality is something objective, external, existing in its own right … But I tell you, Winston, that reality is not external. Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else. Not in the individual mind, which can make mistakes, and in any case soon perishes; only in the mind of the Party, which is collective and immortal. Whatever the Party holds to be truth is truth. It is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party."
Another character explains its long-term purpose:
"Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it."
---
I could go on, but it seems like I'm banging my head against the wall.
A great website on fascism here.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Brutality 1, Liberty & Freedom 0
America scored a major victory today in Iraq, but humanity scored a
major loss. The death of Al-Zarqawi is a good thing. He was a bad man.
In essence he proved the old adage about one who lives by the sword.
Except in this case he died in an airstrike, but I digress.
This isn't just a victory for the US military and the Bush
administration, but a victory for the forces in society that promote
the "might makes right" mentality. See, we kicked his ass. We're
kicking terrorist butt!! Hooray for America! This justifies Bush's
actions in Iraq. We toppled a government by military force, set up a
government through coercion, used our military to prop up the
government the US chose for the Iraqi people. Might made right.
Yet, I have a sick feeling inside about this victory. It's an empty
victory because its the death of the principles that America was
founded upon, namley the principles that all people are born with
certain inalienable rights, the rights to life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness. It's the death of diplomacy, the death of seeking
solutions to problems that are resolved through agreements in a
peaceful manner. Solutions that produce long term peaceful results.
It's the death of rationality and reason. It's the death of the
enlightened part of humanity.
In other words, it all goes back to the man with the biggest rock,
biggest spear, biggest tactical nuke, makes the rules. You do as that
man says, or you suffer the consequences. Questioning that man, means
ostracism from the group at best, or death at worst. Human civilization
has been around for around 10,000 years. It took around 9,800 years for
humans to develop secular governments where the rule of law was greater
than the rule of the gun.
With the war in Iraq, and the permanent war on terrorism, the rule of
law just got replaced with the rule of force. Might makes right wins.
The most violent elements in society generally bring change to society.
It's usually those groups that are willing to commit violence (or
commit acts of violence) that generally win against groups that are
non-violent. People who believe in the rule of law tend toward
non-violence. People who bypass the law and take matters into their
hands violently, generally win, unless they're outnumbered and
overpowered by forces willing to respond with violence in kind on a
much greater scale.
September 11, 2001 was the last day of a free America, and the first
day of totalitarian America. Our civil liberties are being
erroded, and few seem to really care or seem to be doing anything about
it. Most are either uncertain about things and take no action, or
others seem to eagerly embrace the encroachment of government upon our
civil liberties. The voices standing up for law, reason, and the
principles of our Founding Fathers are being drowned out by voices
clamoring for security, for revenge, and favor the government doing
anything it sees fit to protect us from terrorists.
We are now in a state of permanent war. Permanent war is the tool of
dictators. The US will be in a perpetual, never ending war with
terrorism. There will be no room for debate, dialogue, or reason to
ever enter conversations. Those voices are being labeled (and will
continue to be labeled) treasonous, cowardly, and coddling to enemies
of the state. Anyone advocating anything besides the might makes right
mentality will be considered enemies of the state.
I've seriously questioned if our democracy can survive George Bush and
his administration. I've seriously questioned if its really worth it to
fight for the rule of law, for civil liberties, and for justice in the
world anymore. I'm sickened by what the Bush administration has done with his
mishandling of the war against terrorism. His administration has set
the foundation for police state America.
Freedom, liberty, and justice are now just corporate slogans used to
get scared and ignorant people to vote for candidates who serve their
own personal interests over the interests of the greater common good,
and to serve the interests of the "might makes right" mentality.
Case in point, recently the Republican candidate, Brian Bilbray, who won
the seat in San Diego was a corporate lobbyist, and he wasn't even a
Californian considering his home residence was in Virginia. You could
argue that he is the better candidate and that he barely won, but the
real thing is the people of San Diego voted for party over quality of
the candidate. Another corporate shill gets a congressional seat. Does
anyone really think he'll stand up for workers rights, immigrant
rights, affordable healthcare, better schools, job security, or civil
rights? Anyone? Granted, Busby made a stupid slip of the tongue comment
that was taken out of context, but should one stupid comment really be
held against the character of the candidate. If that was the case, Bush
would never have become president.
Is it just a case of sour grapes? Am I just whining because things are
going bad for Democrats? No. I'm really concerned for the state of
liberty, and about the future prospects of liberty and justice in
America. I'm very concerned that we are very eagerly throwing two
hundred years of progress toward an egalitarian society out the window
because we were attacked on 9/11. I'm concerned that our government is
pretty much locked into the hands of corporate and special interest
groups. I'm concerned that most people seem apathetic, indifferent, or
unconcerned about the affairs of the state. I'm concerned that when
people figure out that we've chucked our freedom to the curb for
security, it'll be too late to get our freedom back. I'm concerned that
people will have to die fighting and dying to regain that lost liberty,
and I'm concerned that once that liberty and freedom are lost, they may
never be regained.
So, good for America in it's victory against Al-Zarqawi. Good riddance
to him. However, my condolences to America, it's people, to my country,
for the death of it's march toward progress and justice. Might makes
right wins. Reason and peace lose. Hooray for the gun. Long live the
gun!
America scored a major victory today in Iraq, but humanity scored a
major loss. The death of Al-Zarqawi is a good thing. He was a bad man.
In essence he proved the old adage about one who lives by the sword.
Except in this case he died in an airstrike, but I digress.
This isn't just a victory for the US military and the Bush
administration, but a victory for the forces in society that promote
the "might makes right" mentality. See, we kicked his ass. We're
kicking terrorist butt!! Hooray for America! This justifies Bush's
actions in Iraq. We toppled a government by military force, set up a
government through coercion, used our military to prop up the
government the US chose for the Iraqi people. Might made right.
Yet, I have a sick feeling inside about this victory. It's an empty
victory because its the death of the principles that America was
founded upon, namley the principles that all people are born with
certain inalienable rights, the rights to life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness. It's the death of diplomacy, the death of seeking
solutions to problems that are resolved through agreements in a
peaceful manner. Solutions that produce long term peaceful results.
It's the death of rationality and reason. It's the death of the
enlightened part of humanity.
In other words, it all goes back to the man with the biggest rock,
biggest spear, biggest tactical nuke, makes the rules. You do as that
man says, or you suffer the consequences. Questioning that man, means
ostracism from the group at best, or death at worst. Human civilization
has been around for around 10,000 years. It took around 9,800 years for
humans to develop secular governments where the rule of law was greater
than the rule of the gun.
With the war in Iraq, and the permanent war on terrorism, the rule of
law just got replaced with the rule of force. Might makes right wins.
The most violent elements in society generally bring change to society.
It's usually those groups that are willing to commit violence (or
commit acts of violence) that generally win against groups that are
non-violent. People who believe in the rule of law tend toward
non-violence. People who bypass the law and take matters into their
hands violently, generally win, unless they're outnumbered and
overpowered by forces willing to respond with violence in kind on a
much greater scale.
September 11, 2001 was the last day of a free America, and the first
day of totalitarian America. Our civil liberties are being
erroded, and few seem to really care or seem to be doing anything about
it. Most are either uncertain about things and take no action, or
others seem to eagerly embrace the encroachment of government upon our
civil liberties. The voices standing up for law, reason, and the
principles of our Founding Fathers are being drowned out by voices
clamoring for security, for revenge, and favor the government doing
anything it sees fit to protect us from terrorists.
We are now in a state of permanent war. Permanent war is the tool of
dictators. The US will be in a perpetual, never ending war with
terrorism. There will be no room for debate, dialogue, or reason to
ever enter conversations. Those voices are being labeled (and will
continue to be labeled) treasonous, cowardly, and coddling to enemies
of the state. Anyone advocating anything besides the might makes right
mentality will be considered enemies of the state.
I've seriously questioned if our democracy can survive George Bush and
his administration. I've seriously questioned if its really worth it to
fight for the rule of law, for civil liberties, and for justice in the
world anymore. I'm sickened by what the Bush administration has done with his
mishandling of the war against terrorism. His administration has set
the foundation for police state America.
Freedom, liberty, and justice are now just corporate slogans used to
get scared and ignorant people to vote for candidates who serve their
own personal interests over the interests of the greater common good,
and to serve the interests of the "might makes right" mentality.
Case in point, recently the Republican candidate, Brian Bilbray, who won
the seat in San Diego was a corporate lobbyist, and he wasn't even a
Californian considering his home residence was in Virginia. You could
argue that he is the better candidate and that he barely won, but the
real thing is the people of San Diego voted for party over quality of
the candidate. Another corporate shill gets a congressional seat. Does
anyone really think he'll stand up for workers rights, immigrant
rights, affordable healthcare, better schools, job security, or civil
rights? Anyone? Granted, Busby made a stupid slip of the tongue comment
that was taken out of context, but should one stupid comment really be
held against the character of the candidate. If that was the case, Bush
would never have become president.
Is it just a case of sour grapes? Am I just whining because things are
going bad for Democrats? No. I'm really concerned for the state of
liberty, and about the future prospects of liberty and justice in
America. I'm very concerned that we are very eagerly throwing two
hundred years of progress toward an egalitarian society out the window
because we were attacked on 9/11. I'm concerned that our government is
pretty much locked into the hands of corporate and special interest
groups. I'm concerned that most people seem apathetic, indifferent, or
unconcerned about the affairs of the state. I'm concerned that when
people figure out that we've chucked our freedom to the curb for
security, it'll be too late to get our freedom back. I'm concerned that
people will have to die fighting and dying to regain that lost liberty,
and I'm concerned that once that liberty and freedom are lost, they may
never be regained.
So, good for America in it's victory against Al-Zarqawi. Good riddance
to him. However, my condolences to America, it's people, to my country,
for the death of it's march toward progress and justice. Might makes
right wins. Reason and peace lose. Hooray for the gun. Long live the
gun!
